Interprofessional Education Lab

In many health professions, learners are typically in silos. Nurses learn with nurses. Physicians learn with physicians. Social workers learn with social workers. Pharmacists learn with pharmacists. Upon graduation, the expectation is that clinicians are capable of working as a team but sometimes, they haven't developed the skillset to do so successfully.

How might we create expert teams instead of teams of experts in health care?

Creating expert teams

Research and practical experience show patients who are cared for by groups of clinicians that understand the elements of teamwork have better outcomes. As a result, OSF Innovation places high importance on developing curriculum and simulation that teaches and trains people about the fundamentals of working as a team to improve their capabilities in the field.

The purpose of the Interprofessional Education (IPE) Lab is to find innovative ways and unique formats to expand this work. The hope is to reach learners where they are and ensure clinicians and trainees learn how to work effectively as a team in a variety of circumstances. Those circumstances might range from a community health worker interacting with clinicians in a primary care office to groups of clinicians working together in an operating room.

This lab will use technology and techniques available now and develop new ones to achieve its goal of building experts teams instead of teams of experts. By building better medical teams, the IPE Lab can truly transform health care delivery and improve outcomes not just for patients but for people around the world.

Transforming medical education and training

• New access to health care: A prototype rural health kiosk, to be staffed by community health workers, is being created and will soon be rolled out for pilot testing. The kiosk will have the capability to take vital signs, connect patients for telehealth appointments and to supply patients with easy to understand and previously vetted information about various health conditions as well as education to support health and wellness.
• Microclinic and mobile van services: the IPE Lab is collaborating with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to develop statistical and AI-driven models. These will optimize the schedule, route planning, available services, staffing needs and hours of operation for both mobile vans and microclinics that can bring basic health and social care services to those living in rural areas.
• Developing community health workers: The IPE lab has engaged in a collaborative relationship with Illinois Central College to develop an entry-level community health worker (CHW) training program that will prepare graduates to serve their communities as certified CHWs. The IPE lab also developed a program for working CHWs that harnesses their skills to better serve clients and facilitate client and provider visits in the client's home using digital technology.

If you are interested in learning more about the Interpersonal Education Lab, participating in certain aspects of the journey or if you want to invest or collaborate, contact us today.